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Monday, June 24, 2013

I find cookies are the easiest bakes that one can opt for. I
think if someone is trying their hands of baking , one thing that every
beginner can cook without any fuss are cookies. There are so many flavours in
cookies, but the basic method remains the same.

Earlier I have made cardamom almond and oats cookies and
both of them involves same technique only the flavour is different. Recently I visited
my friend Charu and I made for her
vanilla cookies dipped in chocolate.

Now, what I like about these cookies is use of simple ingredients
whipped together to shape. I used heart shaped cookie cutter and then dipped
them in liquid chocolate. Vanilla and chocolate is such winner combination and
no one can ever go wrong with its taste. The sweet aroma of vanilla and
bitterness of dark chocolate compliments each other very well. Enjoy these crunchy cookies with milk or coffee (like me). Here is the
recipe.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto parchment-lined cookie
sheet and bake 10-12 minutes. If using a cookie cutter then keep the dough in
the fridge for 1 hour and with the help of rolling pin, roll out the dough and
cut in the shape desired.

Cool on wire rack completely.

For Chocolate Layer:

In a double boiler melt the chocolate and butter together completely
till it becomes creamy.

Now take one cookie at a time and dip in the liquid
chocolate and cover with sprinkles. Let it cool. (I covered some cookies half and some completely)

Notes:

If making eggless use 4 tablespoons of cold milk instead of
eggs.

Grated coconut can also be added to increase the flavour.

If you can’t find dark chocolate then white chocolate also
looks and taste good.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

There are times when some things, ingredients, vessels;
basically anything from your kitchen become your obsessions and you use it for
many days. I remember there was a cheese grater that I bought and I loved it so
much that I started grating even onions, garlic, ginger and what not with it-
it was that grater only that used to be on Top Of My Mind. Just like that, there
are a few things that I am sharing with you all lovely people that have become
my current favourites or obsessions.

Yellow ice cube tray:

As you all know how much I love yellow and now when it is
summer here I am totally in love with this cute,flowery and bright yellow ice tray. I
used it for frozen chutney (HERE)
and it is also very good for jellies :)

Black Pepper-crushed and whole:

This has totally occupied my mind these days. I am putting
this spicy tiny spice in almost everything I am cooking- tea, rice, parathas, and
pastas. Amazing flavour and aroma :) Isn’t it?

Black and whites:I
know it is summer but some combinations are like Jodi made in heaven. Black and
white is one among them. I have been using black and white plates, bowls and
cups in so many of food photographs. You can see here,
here
and here.
Black and white is such a “wow” combination.

And finally, Patak’s Chilli Pickle:I
love spicy food, the spicier the better. I tried so many pickles here in London
(in vain) to satisfy my spicy tongue ;) but couldn't find the right one; until I
laid my eyes on Patak’s pickle. I find this pickle irresistible. You can buy it
fromhere.

Hope you all like this post. What are your current
favourites? Anything in the kitchen/food world that has been your current
obsession. Please share :)

Monday, June 17, 2013

Last week when I made Onion Stuffed Parthas, it became
the most popular post on my facebook page , G+ and on my blog. I received 26
comments all saying that they love it, will try it for sure. I was on cloud
nine when I got an email from a lady named Sushma saying that she loves my
parathas recipes and she have tried them all, she gave me the title of ‘Paratha
Queen’. Isn’t it nice when you get your readers’ love and appreciation! Ah! It is
like a dream come true :-)

So, after so much of encouragement, here is it another
recipe for parathas- Methi Thepla. Methi theplas are very famous in Gujarat
and is eaten as anytime food. I remember we used to get methi theplas in our
hostel in the breakfast and I used to love them with tea.

Methi also known as fenugreek is very healthy and is a
green leafy vegetable that must be consumed in day to day life. I know in India
we get methi leaves only in winters, but we are lucky to find methi here in the
UK even in summers. Anyways do not worry, I will soon post on Tuesday’s tip that
how you can store methi leaves fresh for the whole year (yes fresh and not
dried) :-)

Methi theplas are very easy to make and do need lots of
preparation. The bitter taste of methi is what makes these Indian breads so
special and unique. Trust me, just roll them up and enjoy with tea, chutney or
pickle of your choice.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour/atta

1 cup gram flour/besan

1 cup chopped fresh fenugreek/methi leaves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera

1 teaspoon coriander powder/dhaniya

½ teaspoon turmeric/haldi

1 teaspoon red chili powder/lal mirch

1 teaspoon green chilli-ginger paste/hari mirch-adrak

2 tablespoon oil

1 to 2 tablespoon curd/yogurt

salt as required

oil for frying

Method:

Wash and chop methi levees properly and strain the water.

Mix all the ingredients except curd and start kneading
without adding curd.

Make s soft dough with the help of curd; just add 1 tbsp
or 2 tbsp water if required.

Keep the dough aside for 15-20 minutes covered with a
kitchen towel. Then roll out 20 pedas or ball from them.

Place a ball of dough on a flat surface. Using a rolling
pin, roll it out like you would a chapatti. Sprinkle flour on the thepla as
when needed so it doesn't stick.

Heat a heavy skillet, griddle or tava. Place the rolled
out thepla on it. Cook till brown spots appear on one side. Turn the
thepla over, pour 1/4 teaspoon oil around it and let it cook till golden on
both sides.

Repeat for all the dough.

Notes:

You can omit the use oil, simply use a napkin
to roast the thepla. Remember no use of oil will not make the theplas last
longer.

One can just use water instead of curd to knead
the dough.

They are very good while travelling- just use
more oil to fry them.

Serving Ideas:

There are so many ways to serve it
with.. It can be eaten plain or serve with chutney, raita, any side dish or pickle. This is perfect for breakfast; in fact for any time meal.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Every time I think of summers there is rush of school memories. I used to be so happy to think about summer vacations, playing games with friends without thinking of the home work and then summer fruits like watermelon, musk melon and the most important one mango.

My mom used to make amazing raw mango pickle in summers and we used to eat it for whole year. It is a pickle loaded with lots of spices and beautiful aroma. I surely miss that :-(. Anyways I was happy to see some raw mangoes in the local market and I called my mom to know the recipe. She advised me to make instant pickle because other one needs lots of sunlight and is a very time consuming process.

Last year I made aam ka hing ka achar which means mango pickle with the flavour of asafoetida and it was among the popular post for a long time. I have also tried making tomato pickle which of course can be made and enjoyed in any season.

The instant raw mango pickle is sooooo simple and quick. The tanginess of mangoes is balanced with sweetness of sugar and fennel seeds are added to give that pickle taste. I stored in the fridge for 1-2 weeks and it was still fresh. Truly a delight!! Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped raw mango/kacha aam/kairi

½ teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera

1 tablespoon fennel seeds/saunf

¼ teaspoon asafoetida/hing

2 tablespoons of sugar/chini/shakkar

Salt/namak to taste

½ teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi

½ tablespoon red chilli powder/lal mirch

½ teaspoon coriander powder/dhaniya

½ glass water/pani

1 tablespoon oil/tel

Method:
Heat oil in a pan.

When the oil heats, add 1 whole red chilli.

Then mix in of cumin seeds. Let them splutter.

Add aseofetida

Add fennel seeds and mix.

Mix in half a glass of water.

Add chopped raw mango

Add salt.

Add turmeric powder.

Mix in coriander powder.

Add red chilli powder.

Finally add sugar and mix well.

Cover with lid and let it cook for 5-8 minutes or till mangoes become soft and mushy.

Notes: Sugar and red chilli powder can be increased or decrease as per ones's taste.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Summers are here guys!.. Summer means Yellow. I love
yellow colour in the summer. The bright colour is so apt and suitable
for this season. I was planning to do another event and after discussing with
my husband we thought of having an event “Cook With Yellow”

Yes all you have to do is cook with yellow ingredients’. Some of the examples of yellow food are corn,
mangoes, dal, musk melon, lemon, bananas, pineapple, chickpeas etc etc. Yup! Put
on your thinking caps and cook anything yellow. Here is the collection of my
recipes which were cooked with yellow things-Lemon
Cake, mango mousse, moong dal pancake, mango
pickle and daal
tadka.

Rules for the event-

Cook with anything yellow. Yellow ingredient must be the
main one and not just used in garnishing.

Looking for fresh entries thus try out new recipes. So, no
archived posts will be entertained. Your post has to between June-
August 2013.

Only after your first entry, share Merry Tummy's facebook page. In the comments section tag 5 friends and say that you like Merry Tummy. Keep your this post public in Facebook so that I can see it.(Compulsory- have to do only once)

Please use the linky tool to link your recipes below. (Mention the name of the dish you make and not your name.)

Non bloggers are most welcome to participate. Just send
me the recipe details with a click of the recipe to the above mentioned email.

Giveaway- Yes there is one giveaway. I will choose one
lucky person through random.org. I will then ask the winner to choose from
cookware, bakeware, cook books or kitchen accessories as prize.Once again, the giveaway is open for people who can give Indian address :) There will also be certificates for best innovative recipe, best click recipe, and participation award.

Hope you all will like the theme. Think yellow, think summery. Send in the tasty dishes ladies :)

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

In so many of my parathas posts I have mentioned that Mr.
Husband is not very fond of stuffed parathas. He prefers parathas in which I mix
everything in the dough and do not stuff it, like how I did here in the mixed vegetable parathas. But yes stuffed aloo parathasare
exceptional- well what can I say? Who does not love aloo parathas. Not anyone I
know of :-)

My husband was away for a office trip and that is when
I made these stuffed onion parathas. What I like about these parathas are the
way onions gets cooked inside-soft and yet crunchy. These mini parathas are perfect to serve for breakfast, brunch and as evening orpicnic snack. Why not wrap up in the foil and serve in your kids’ tiffin. Me?- I prefer them with cucumber riata.

Do give them try – They are totally worth it :-) Or look for more parathas recipes here

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour / Atta – 2 cups

Salt to taste

Water – as needed to knead the dough

Oil / Ghee to cook the Paratha

Onion/pyaz – 1 chopped Finely

Green Chilli /hari mirch– 1 chopped finely

Chilli Powder/lal mirch powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder/haldi- ¼ tsp

Dry mango powder/amchur- ¼ tsp

Cumin Seeds / Jeera – ½ tsp

Coriander Seeds / akkha daniya – 1 tsp

Method:

In a mixing bowl add flour, salt and mix well.Slowly add in
water and make a soft dough just like chapatti dough. Apply some oil on the
dough and keep aside.

Divide the dough into equal portions. Pinch the tennis size ball dough and
flatten it out.Now spoon some filling in the centre and seal from all sides.

Now take the stuffed ball and slowly roll it so that
filling doesn't leak out. Form into a slightly thick parathas.

Heat a tawa/pan and cook paratha one side till bubble appears. Flip the paratha other side and apply some ghee on it and cook for a minute. Flip again and apply ghee and cook again. Keep pressing with the spatula till golden.

Monday, June 3, 2013

Poha means flattened rice flakes –it is not only healthy
but is also a very common breakfast in India. Why not? After all it is so easy
to make and is also very quick. Poha is made in different styles in different
parts of India. In Gujarat it is a bit sweeter and is made with lots of
potatoes. One place where poha is very popular and is sold in every corner,
shop and street is in Mumbai.

Just like vada pav, missal pav Kanda Poha is very famous
and is preferred item in breakfast. People in Mumbai are busy and travel long
distance from their homes to reach their offices. This is why they prefer
having breakfast in office. There will always be vendors selling poha, idli,
sabudana vada and missal pav near any office locations.

Kanda means onion and that is what makes poha special in taste. Compared to
most other Maharashtrian breakfast , poha is a relatively light dish made with
roasted chillies, onions, mustard seeds and curry leaves A dash
of squeezed lime gives enough moisture to dry poha and balances the taste as
well.

If you ever go to Mumbai, breakfast like a Mumbaikar.
Mumbai is quiet in the morning and the food is fresh ;). For classic poha-try, Hotel
Vinay, Jawahar Mansion. I know I
got carried away! Moving to the recipe.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

As
you all know that Merry Tummy turned 1 year this march and therefore I
conducted an event at my blog called as One year Recap Event. I will like to thank each
one of you for those lovely and encouraging comments. I read each comment
and all of them are very special and motivating for me. Choosing the winners was very difficult task
for me thus, Mr. Husband helped me out and we have chosen 3 winner. So the
winners are:

Priya from Yummy Foods. She has won Sanjeev Kapoor Snacks and Starters. She said-I
love your eggless chocolate almond cake, it is very simple and easy to make and
I love chocolate cake. I like many recipes which you have posted, I really
stuck with which one to choose. The black forest cake is so perfect and mouth
watering and you have explained really well. My list will keep growing, so I
will stop with this for now.

Nilu of Kitchen Sernity. She will get Sanjeev
Kapoor Vegetarian Cooking Around The World. She said- Congrats for your
successful completion of a year.. After a complete tour of your blog and seeing
the wonderful recipes you have shared with us. I feel it is very difficult to
decide which to choose from.. I have even bookmarked a couple of recipes to try
soon.. Be it your Lauki Kofta Ki Dahivali Curry or your French Crepes Cake
Layered With Blueberry Sauce And Topped With Mango Mousse.. or your step by
step garlic rolls.. All have left me craving to have some right now.. But if
given a chance, the first recipe I would like to try would be your Spinach corn Bhaji as it is very healthy and full of nutrition. Looking forward to more of your
amazing recipes :-)

And last but by no means the least - Preety from Preety’s Kitchen. She has been
the victor of Sanjeev Kapoor Simple Home Baking. She said- First
of all hearty congratulations on turning one , great milestone and wish you
many more anniversaries celebrations in future with more giveaways offcourse..;)..I
am so surprised in one year only it seems like you have more than 200 recipes
on your blog...Cheers for that..Browsed your blog and i am liking all your
recipes (that i have seen so far)..but if you want me to pick one favourite
recipe then it will be Rajma Tikkis.Why:-
i love recipes who have less ingredients, are less complicated , are healthy ,
crowd pleaser and can be make/prepared ahead of time..And your recipe meets all
the requirements. Actually i never
thought of making patties with rajma before.

The event was totally successful and I enjoyed reading back my own recipes and living the year again. One
year was interesting and so good with all your love and comments. Thanks once
again.